Airline industry refuses to be ID card guinea pig
Unions and management unite against gov biometrics
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News emerged today that government plans for a compulsory UK national ID card pilot scheme in the airline industry are deadlocked by industrial and union opposition, casting a blight over the unveiling of the cards' design.
The Financial Times reports this morning that the government's intended rollout of the biometric ID cards among UK citizens - which was to start first among airport workers - is stalled. Both trade unions and industry bodies were adamantly opposed to the plans, and doubtful that the wider UK ID scheme would ever proceed given Conservative pledges to ditch it in the event of winning the next election.
"We do not see the ID scheme bringing any security or business benefits," Roger Wiltshire of the British Air Transport Association told the FT.
"All we see is additional problems and costs."
Robert Siddall of the Airport Operators' Association went further, telling the paper that the ID rollout "is not going anywhere, that's for sure. You cannot run a pilot scheme in a sector where so many ... are opposed."
Apart from air-transport management, it was also clear that unions were equally determined to resist the cards. The TUC has voted against them this month, and the airline pilots' union Balpa threatened a legal challenge if the government tries to make ID cards compulsory for its members.
The Home Office may well succeed in imposing ID cards on resident foreigners; those applying for further leave to remain will start being issued with them from November. However, if the air transport industry is any guide it seems that carding up Brits will prove more difficult. ®
COMMENTS
Re: Dodgy Goings on at ThiefRow....
Ha ha ha ha .... good joke.
If you haven't done anything wrong you haven't got anything to hide eh? Have you seen the backbone employed by this bunch of idiots in NuLabour? No, didn't think so, no one else has either. What happens when they pass bad law that impacts you in your daily life? Then you'll have something to hide.
We have councils employing agents to go through peoples bins searching for incorrectly filed rubbish. How long before this information is tied to your ID card. Then to your ability to gain access to government services.
"Emergency Services. What service do you require?"
"Ambulance"
"ID card number"
"10107"
"Sorry our records show two cases of incorrectly filed refuse in the last year. You will not qualify for service until March"
Its extreme but these cards will be used to build up a database of information about you that you will not have access to. They will then be used to determine your qualification for services. If you are refused you will have no avenue to find out why. The concept of an ID card isn't a bad one, the concept of this ID card is hideous.
@'Not with this governemt'
I would add to your comments that it isn't likely that we'd even recognise an 'extreme' regime when it came. Remember these things don't happen over night, we'll not wake up tomorrow having our doors kicked in by grey suited 'thought police' (well most of us won't anyway). It will be a feeling, a sensation that makes you look up one day and think to yourself 'Where is this place? How did I agree to this?'
The extreme regime of which you talk will wear a nice suit, have a slick advertising campaign, will appeal to most of people's own beliefs and will come into power in a way no different to that of any other political animal either here or in Disneyland.
It is only those that continue to question that will remain awake enough to see it coming.
I'm talking about a lot of you, Reg Readers, and of course our pal El Reg.
dvla
As to what the data could be used for, the news of the DVLA selling the data they hold for £2.50 a pop which is then used to harass people....that's what.
The data protection act not applying to (mis)government departments apparently
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